Sadly, it seems like Alfred was right: "He thought it was good sport. Because some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn."

Jessica Redfield, an aspiring hockey broadcaster, was among those lost last night.

Her last blog post was about her experience in last month's Toronto mall shootings, which she was present at.

Horrible, and horrifying, and just about incomprehensible. I hope we just get to appreciate that for a few hours before the 24-hour news cycle turns it into wharrgarbl about politics and celebrity news and money.

Edit: And she was an intern for You Can Play Team, Pat Burke's advocacy group for GLBT hockey players (and athletes in general). Just feeling sick right now - that's one of the best, most personable and likeable groups working in hockey. What a loss.

Yeesh. I'm just recovering from my Dark Knight Trilogy experience. It was nothing but fun, and I didn't see in the mobbed lobby so much as anyone even having an argument (Tysons Corner, VA). I'm just shocked, mortified, heatbroken, sick about this.

Apparently filmgoers thought it was some sort of promotional thing so they didn't react to the guy's chemical grenade (!) attack and shooting initially. AP said an infant was among those shot.

I can already see some attorney trying to get the monster off on an insanity plea (he's in police custody).

Although I think this might impact how theater chains handle security, I don't think most have the money to put in metal detectors and an armed guard in every screen. And the idea behind Exit doors is to help you leave in a hurry -- I doubt anyone in a million years worried about someone using it as an entry way for bringing in a mass shooting arsenal.

What terrifies me is the idea of any copycats of this (as seems to happen with mass shootings in other environs).

Just fyi, NY Times has a locator map that's kind of useful for understanding where this murderer's car was parked (right outside the back emergency exit it seems), and his apartment's proximity:http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/07/20/us/The-Shooting-in-Aurora.html*You can tell by the location that it's unlikely anybody else would've parked there or seen anything suspicious -- the theater complex back there faces the back of an adjacent shopping center I think.

The movie was just beginning to get interesting. My wife and I had been waiting for months to see the Dark Knight Rises, and we were finally here, enjoying it.

It's unfortunate that we were in Theater 9.

The first thing I noticed was a hissing sound coming from the left side of the theater. I noticed people beginning to react in the area. I knew something was wrong.

Then the gunshots began. A sudden flash of light and loud bang from the right side of the screen. Then another, and another. There must have been 20-30, at the least. At first glance they looked like fireworks or something, perhaps a prank. After a few shots, it hit me very quickly what was happening.

I hit the floor and hid behind the seats in front of me, pulling my wife down to hide with me. It was the longest minute of my life. The gunshots just kept coming. I knew it could be over any second. I knew my wife could be gone any second. It was absolutely surreal. I felt something hit my left arm, and my first though was "at least it's just my arm".

Once the gunfire subsided for a bit, people began to run to the exits en mass. I took my wife by the hand and we booked it for the back door, trying to breathe through the gas that now permeated the room.

We bolted out the doors and down the stairs, though the lobby and out the door. All the while, hearing people screaming, crying, panicking, and screaming for their children.

Reaching the parking lot, the police cars were already piling in and surrounding the area. My arm was only slightly nicked and didn't require any attention. My wife was untouched.

The entire ordeal was completely surreal, and entirely horrifying. My mother informed me that someone had been watching over me, and all I could say is that I wish that those good people who passed away could have had the same protection. My heart goes out to their families and loved ones, and I dearly hope that the madman responsible for this is brought his justice.

I'm off today, so watching a live press conference by police and government officials on NBC News:

Police chief's update:-71 moviegoers were shot; 59 were wounded, revised death count is 12 (10 on the scene, 2 at hospitals from their injuries). One of those wounded was in an adjacent auditorium. Six different hospitals are treating those wounded.

-Weapons found were:*AR-15 rifle (they believe used in theater)*Remington shotgun (they believe used in theater) [sorry, I missed the model #]*.40 cal Glock pistol (they believe used in theater)*additional .40 cal Glock pistol in car (they're not sure if used in theater)

The body armor really was like a heavily equipped SWAT member might wear -- including kevlar vest, groin and throat protectors, helmet, mask, and the gas mask. Maybe some sort of armored pants too, I lost track of all the gear he was wearing.

Several cars are part of the crime scene, he said, I think it may be some stray rounds went through the theater walls and into cars in the parking lot. They don't have a count yet on how many rounds were shot, just "many, many."

*They have found a variety of booby traps, incendiary and chemical some involving tripwires, and have evacuated buildings in a large area while they work to defuse them. It could take hours, or even days, the chief said.

*Suspect's only law enforcement record was a traffic ticket in 2011.

They'll give another press conference update at 7 p.m. from City Hall.

From other reports, the suspect apparently was studying neuroscience or something but was withdrawing from the University.

We just recently moved to Hawaii from Denver 2 months ago. I'm a RN who worked at The University of Colorado and Aurora Medical Center. I'm positive I would have been called in to help triage victims had I still been living there. I drove by that theatre daily on my way into work.

Today has been very difficult as I sit in the middle of the ocean wishing I were back in Denver to be with friends and coworkers and helping to care for the victims. Never have I felt totally helpless. I just wish I could use my trained skills to help care for my former community and home.

I'm not a religious person myself, so I'll only ask to remember in whatever way you choose not only the victims, but survivors and those caring for them.

they are now saying that the guy dyed his hair(Red?) and shouted out "I'm The Joker" as he fired

Officials have declined to comment on this when asked. It's probably, as after Columbine and others, an Internet rumor. Police said he was wearing a helmet, gas mask and throat protector so by all accounts, his face and head weren't visible during the attack.

The police chief warned media not to consider social media a reliable source as a lot of rumors and made-up stories were running around.

AMC announced on its investor relations site it would ban masks, fake weapons and costumes that make others "uncomfortable." While you could argue that might not have prevented anything in Colorado (he came in through am emergency exit), I assume the idea so at the least, you wouldn't look at someone in the equipment he had and think it was someone goofing off -- you'd know immediately nobody with that sort of outfit was allowed in the theater. I expect other chains will do similar.

Quote

Updated: AMC Theatres Statement Regarding the Tragedy in Aurora, ColoradoKansas City, Mo. (July 21, 2012, 2 p.m. CDT) - AMC Theatres is deeply saddened by the Aurora tragedy. Movie going is part of our social fabric and this senseless act shakes us to our core. We're reinforcing our security procedures with our theatre teams, which we cannot discuss in detail for obvious, safety reasons. Local law enforcement agencies, our landlords and their and our local security teams are stepping up nationwide to ensure we provide the safest environment possible for our guests. We couldn't be more grateful for their collective support.

At this time, our show schedules circuit-wide will not change. We will not allow any guests into our theatres in costumes that make other guests feel uncomfortable and we will not permit face-covering masks or fake weapons inside our buildings. If guests wish to exchange or refund any tickets, we will honor our existing policy and do as our guests wish. We are taking necessary precautions to ensure our guests who wish to enjoy a movie this weekend can do so with as much peace of mind as possible in these circumstances.

Really feel sorry for that Jessica woman. Escaped death from another mad gunman, had a bright future after it, then killed by another random madman. There is just a horrific sense of something like irony that must have been going through her head then.

I just have to say that in a world where we are constantly bombarded with images of violence, whether through TV, movies, video games, to the point where it often no longer registers emotionally, it's stuff like this theater shooting that just makes me utterly depressed and sad that people can be so unspeakably callous and brutal to each other.

Wherever you are, make it a point to go hug a loved one as soon as you can and tell them how much you appreciate and care about them.

they are now saying that the guy dyed his hair(Red?) and shouted out "I'm The Joker" as he fired

Officials have declined to comment on this when asked. It's probably, as after Columbine and others, an Internet rumor. Police said he was wearing a helmet, gas mask and throat protector so by all accounts, his face and head weren't visible during the attack.

The police chief warned media not to consider social media a reliable source as a lot of rumors and made-up stories were running around.

maybe when they arrested him,they took the helmet off,because it was actually some sort of Police Chief who said it while being interviewed in a press conference i saw on TV(he had a Police Uniform on,but it was Dark Blue,not light blue)

they are now saying that the guy dyed his hair(Red?) and shouted out "I'm The Joker" as he fired

Officials have declined to comment on this when asked. It's probably, as after Columbine and others, an Internet rumor. Police said he was wearing a helmet, gas mask and throat protector so by all accounts, his face and head weren't visible during the attack.

The police chief warned media not to consider social media a reliable source as a lot of rumors and made-up stories were running around.

maybe when they arrested him,they took the helmet off,because it was actually some sort of Police Chief who said it while being interviewed in a press conference i saw on TV(he had a Police Uniform on,but it was Dark Blue,not light blue)

Yah, lots of conflicting information out there. From everything I've heard on the local news, he was quite calm and methodic and didn't say a word during the ordeal. The "joker" reference seems to have come later after the police apprehended him when they started the process to identify him.

ps. They still haven't been able to enter his apartment because of the extensive booby-traps. They hope to be able to do that today without taking out the apartment building and all that evidence in the process.

yeah i was wondering why a 6 month baby was there,I'm sure they could of got a babysitter if they wanted a night out,especially if its a midnight showing at a cinema,imagine if that baby woke up and started to cry in the middle of the film

Apparently he walked all the way up one side aisle to cut off people trying to run out the main exit. If he'd continued into a lobby full of evacuating moviegoers... Thank God he didn't.

fwiw, apparently Colorado does have the death penalty (lethal injection), last used in 1997, the state's only execution since around 1975. No doubt the trial will be about pre-meditated, mass murder (prosecution) vs. mental illness (defense).

Apparently he walked all the way up one side aisle to cut off people trying to run out the main exit. If he'd continued into a lobby full of evacuating moviegoers... Thank God he didn't.

fwiw, apparently Colorado does have the death penalty (lethal injection), last used in 1997, the state's only execution since around 1975. No doubt the trial will be about pre-meditated, mass murder (prosecution) vs. mental illness (defense).

There is plenty of evidence of pre-meditation. As far as mental illness as a defense, Ive never understood that in these circumstances because a person has to be mentally ill to do something like this. These were not the actions of a rational human being. TV, movies and fiction may make the "insanity plea" seem common place but in reality, it doesnt play out like that. This isnt a guy who just snapped and went off. With the amount of pre-meditation, planning and forethought he put into this, the mental illness defense is going to be a tough one to fall back on.